City of Reno hosts community meeting to launch Neighborhood Renewal Program

Post Date:08/09/2017 1:21 PM

Councilmember Oscar Delgado and City of Reno staff are hosting a community meeting to launch the Neighborhood Renewal Program on August 15, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at the Second Baptist Church, located at 1265 Montello Street in Reno. The event is free and open to the public and media.

Through the program, low- and moderate-income homeowners in the City of Reno will be able to apply for one-time funds to assist with cleaning up their property, including correcting hazardous or unsightly external conditions and making improvements considered necessary to mitigate blight.

“The goal of the program is to maintain safe homes and attractive neighborhoods, preserve affordable housing, improve the quality of Reno’s housing and ensure compliance with City building and zoning codes,” Reno City Councilmember Oscar Delgado said. “This program could be our greatest ally in the fight against blight because it empowers homeowners to take action.”

The City of Reno anticipates this program will be used primarily by our senior citizens and people on a fixed income who want to make improvements to their homes, but don’t have the resources to do so. Only income-eligible Reno residents (based on median income) will qualify for the program. Residents who wish to apply should attend the community meeting on August 15, or go to Reno.gov following the conclusion of the meeting.

The Neighborhood Renewal Program was approved by Council on February 22, 2017. The City of Reno is working with Truckee Meadows Habitat for Humanity to provide blight remediation under the City's Neighborhood Renewal Program. Truckee Meadows Habitat for Humanity will complete service projects.

Rehabilitation efforts are part of the City’s Blight Mitigation Fund Initiative, which calls for dedicated funds for the restoration or demolition of unattractive and unsafe buildings in targeted locations identified by the City.

Council previously created a $1-million Blight Mitigation Fund to clean up downtown and other Reno neighborhoods. As part of that allocation, $275,000 was set aside develop the Neighborhood Renewal Program ($225,000 to mitigate blight and $50,000 for administrative/staffing costs).